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L. FELAND..

MINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23| 915. 1,318,857. Patented Oct. 14,1919.

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L. FELAND.

MINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, I915.

1,31 57, Patented Oct. 14,1919,

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L. FELAND.

MINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR23| 1915.

1,318,857. Patented 0G13.14,1919.

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LOGAN FELAND, OF HOPKINSVILLE, KENTUCKY.

MINE.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOGAN FEnANn, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Hopkinsville, Christian county, Kentucky, have invented certain Improvements in Mines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrically controlled submarine minesortorpedoes, and my principal object is to provide improved means for automatically signaling the presence of vessels and disturbances, such as the action of sweeps or drags,-in the vicinity of the mines or torpedoes, whether of the automatically or manually exploded type.

My improved means comprise the combination with a mine of electrical apparatus whereby vibrations communicated to the mines shell are transmitted to anindicating device or receiver, generally located at a shore station.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a telephone transmitter is inclosed by and connected with the mfine shell so that vibrations impinging upon the shell are communicated to the transmitter, which is electrically connected with a telephone receiver, the transmitter being connected either in series or parallel with means for detonating the mine.

When waves are setin motion by a vessel,

sweep or drag in the vicinity of the mine so as to vibrate its shell, or when the shell is otherwise vibrated, as by a blow, the disturbances are electrically transmitted to an observer, who may detonate the mine or take such measures as the character of the signal requires.

The characteristic features of my improvements are more fully disclosed in the following description and the accompanying drawings in illustration thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a mine having improvements of my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a mine field layout comprising my improvements; Fig. 3 is adiagrammatic view of amodified layout comprised in my invention, and Fig. 4 is a part sectional elevation of' details of construction represented diagrammatically in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 1, the mine shell 1 contains a section of the insulated conductor 2'in which is the electric primer 3 for firing the detonating composition 4; by which the Specification of Letters I'atcnt.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

Application filed March 23, 1915. Serial-No. 16,350.

charge 5 is exploded. The' c0nductor 2 is connected electrically. with a conductingcase'or contact 6 which is separated by in sulation 7 from a conducting bearing ,8 fixed to the shell, and the bearing 8 supports a colled spring 9 from which depends an oscillatory contact device 10 adapted for closing the circuit by engaging the contact 6,-

the shell being grounded through the sea water in which it is immersed. A branch conductor 11 from the conductor 2 contains the non-inductive resistance 12 and is connected with the shell v1 through the microphone or telephone transmitter 13, the latter being electrically connected by a screw 14 with a conducting bearing 15 fixed to the shell. 7 v

As illustrated in'Fig. 2, a field of mines, having grounded shells 1, are provided with the parallel conductors 2 and 11, the former being connected with contacts 6 and the latter with microphones 13.

Switches 16 are adapted to connect the respective conductors 2 with the conductor 17 in circuit with the grounded battery 18, and switches 19 are adapted to connect the respective conductors 2 with a conductor 20 connected with the battery in parallel relation to the conductor 17, the conductor 20 containing the telephone receiver 21.

The switches 19 being closed, the operator can detect a vessel approaching the mines and by trial operation of the respective switches the vessel can be located. The operator may continue to listen and obtain- 'The non-inductive resistance 12, shown in Fig. 1, may be omitted and the resistance desired in the signal circuit'll provided by the microphone or transmitter.

The receiver 21 may be provided with sufficient resistance to prevent the detonation of the charge when the switches 16 are open and the switches 19 closed, the mine being discharged in such case by the operator closing the corresponding switch 16, when a vessel closes the contacts 6 and 10.

But the mine may be automatically discharged upon the engagement of the contact 6 and the contact 10 through the vibrations of thelatter, due to impact upon the mine, the battery circuit to the contact 6 being other disturbing 4O closed, the resistance in circuit being sufii-.

ciently low to pass the current necessary to effect detonation, and the resistance of the parts 12 and 13 or 13 alone being sufficient to shunt the necessary current through the art 3. p In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4;, the conductors 2 have therein the transmitters 13 in series with the priming devices 3 and double throw switches 22. The switches 22 are adapted for connecting the respective conductors 2 with the conductor 17, which is connected with the grounded battery 18', and with the conductor 20' which is connected through the receiver 21 with the grounded battery 23. The transmitters 13 are, in this form of the invention, connected by their screws 14 with insulating blocks 15 fixed to the shells 1.

In this construction, when the conductors 2 and 20 are connected by the switches 22, the vibration ofany shell 1 vibrates the corresponding transmitter 13, whereby an audible signal is delivered through the receiver 21'. If it is desired to detonate one or more of these mines, the corresponding switch or switches 22 are thrown to connect them with the conductor 17 containing the battery 18', which has sufiicient power to effect the detonation, the comparatively low power of the battery 23 being insufficient to effect this result through the resistances of the parts 13 and 21.

It will be understood that the trained observer can judge from the character of the sound transmitted whether the disturbance is caused by the propeller of a vessel, the action of a sweep, the impact of a vessel, or

device. Having descrlbed my invention, I claim: 1. The combination with a plurality of submarine mines, of electrical mechanism comprising a source of electric energy, a transmitter in each mine in circuit with said source of energy, a receiver in circuit with each of said transmitters, and means for cutting said receiver out of circuit with therespective transmitters.

2. A system of the character disclosed comprising the combination with a plurality of mines distributed over an area of navigable water and being mechanically independent of one another, of a detector associated with each mine, the said detectors adapted to cause respective electric currents to flow in response and in proportion to sound waves impingin upon the detectors when a vessel moves wlthin the said area, a signal station, means electrically connecting said mines and detectors with said station and means for indicating the source and strength of said currents and connections between the said detectors and said means.

3. A defense system comprising a plurality of submarine mines distributed over a water area, each mine including a detonator adapted to be exploded from a distant signal station and also a microphone transmitter or detector electrically connected with the said station each transmitter adapted to be operated by water disturbances within its range of actlon and means at the station operatedby currents induced by said transmitters and indicating the source and strength of the various currents transmitted. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name this 22nd day of March, 1915, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

LOGAN FELAND. Witnesses:

Jos. G. DENNY Jr., C. N. BUTLER. 

